Let me start out by saying that I?m no means claiming to be an expert on this. I have done two MR2 Wide Body Kits each time there is a new challenge.
Use what I have provided here as a guide, a lot of it is trail and error and how lucky you get with the kit fitment. There may be a better way to do it, but this is what has worked for me. Be easy on me if I said something wrong it has been over a year since I have last done the last install.
Lesson Number One: It will take more time than you think. After awhile I just stopped counting.
You will have 13 pieces to deal with; so recruiting a friend is very helpful.
Ok Let?s Start
Rear Quarters
Personally I would start at the rear of the car, just because this tends to be the hardest part. You have to make the choice now if you want to cut out your fenders and keep the stock gas cap. If you do not cut the fenders then you will have to roll them. This is the easiest route, but limits the size of rims you can run.
You need to test fit the upper rear quarter panels first. Start with the left side with the gas cap. Line up the rear edge of the quarter panel with the trunk seam and screw one corner in place, check to see that the gas cap hole is where it should be and then work your way forward temporally running screws in until you are sure of the fitment.
When you are sure about the fitment, use Panel adhesive on the quarters and screw them in place. For the glue check local auto paint stores for something by 3M, SEM or some larger brand name. Do not glue anything down until the whole kit has been mocked up. If you need to tweak something is easier to do with the panels just screwed in. Note: You must also scuff sand anywhere you intend to glue with 80-180 grit sand paper.
On both of my cars I did not use the stock gas cap location. One I used a motorcycle cap and the other was a NA so I relocated the filler cap inside the engine bay, by sectioning the gas filler tube and making a bracket that attached to the stock breather location. The best example of a factory gas cap location can bee seen on Chicorace works web site
Chicoraceworks Wide Body
You will have to fabricate a mounting system similar to this for the gas filler door to function like normal.
The lower ? Panels and rocker panels
Once the top rear ? panel sections are set. The lower ? panels can be drilled and bolted to the upper sections. Above the engine scoops you can bolt the top and bottom parts of the kit together. This joint should be fiber glassed over before you start adding body filler.
Do the same for the rocker panel. Attach the front of the lower rocker panel to the bottom of the front fenders with two bolts. This is on the inside of the fender and will not be seen. The outside gap between the upper and lower fender should be fiber glassed together, as you did with the rear section. The lower rocker panel section (the part directly under the door) should be attached with pop rivets and panel adhesive to the lower door section. The rocker panels will need to be trimmed to fit in the lower door area with a cutoff wheel. You will have to trim a lot of the kit off to make the door jambs fit correctly and then fiberglass them in. Make sure that you trim enough off the lower portion (under the doors) that after you add filler the doors will close properly and not slowly scuff your paint off.
Problem spots:
Fitment the rear quarters took me and one other guy quite a while to wrestle into place. This is where it helps to have an extra set of hands with a screw gun ready. Once the kit is fit up you can loosen the screws and apply panel adhesive in-between the body and kit. Then simply screw the kit back down until it dries.
Use what I have provided here as a guide, a lot of it is trail and error and how lucky you get with the kit fitment. There may be a better way to do it, but this is what has worked for me. Be easy on me if I said something wrong it has been over a year since I have last done the last install.
Lesson Number One: It will take more time than you think. After awhile I just stopped counting.
You will have 13 pieces to deal with; so recruiting a friend is very helpful.
Ok Let?s Start
Rear Quarters
Personally I would start at the rear of the car, just because this tends to be the hardest part. You have to make the choice now if you want to cut out your fenders and keep the stock gas cap. If you do not cut the fenders then you will have to roll them. This is the easiest route, but limits the size of rims you can run.
You need to test fit the upper rear quarter panels first. Start with the left side with the gas cap. Line up the rear edge of the quarter panel with the trunk seam and screw one corner in place, check to see that the gas cap hole is where it should be and then work your way forward temporally running screws in until you are sure of the fitment.
When you are sure about the fitment, use Panel adhesive on the quarters and screw them in place. For the glue check local auto paint stores for something by 3M, SEM or some larger brand name. Do not glue anything down until the whole kit has been mocked up. If you need to tweak something is easier to do with the panels just screwed in. Note: You must also scuff sand anywhere you intend to glue with 80-180 grit sand paper.
On both of my cars I did not use the stock gas cap location. One I used a motorcycle cap and the other was a NA so I relocated the filler cap inside the engine bay, by sectioning the gas filler tube and making a bracket that attached to the stock breather location. The best example of a factory gas cap location can bee seen on Chicorace works web site
Chicoraceworks Wide Body
You will have to fabricate a mounting system similar to this for the gas filler door to function like normal.
The lower ? Panels and rocker panels
Once the top rear ? panel sections are set. The lower ? panels can be drilled and bolted to the upper sections. Above the engine scoops you can bolt the top and bottom parts of the kit together. This joint should be fiber glassed over before you start adding body filler.
Do the same for the rocker panel. Attach the front of the lower rocker panel to the bottom of the front fenders with two bolts. This is on the inside of the fender and will not be seen. The outside gap between the upper and lower fender should be fiber glassed together, as you did with the rear section. The lower rocker panel section (the part directly under the door) should be attached with pop rivets and panel adhesive to the lower door section. The rocker panels will need to be trimmed to fit in the lower door area with a cutoff wheel. You will have to trim a lot of the kit off to make the door jambs fit correctly and then fiberglass them in. Make sure that you trim enough off the lower portion (under the doors) that after you add filler the doors will close properly and not slowly scuff your paint off.
Problem spots:
Fitment the rear quarters took me and one other guy quite a while to wrestle into place. This is where it helps to have an extra set of hands with a screw gun ready. Once the kit is fit up you can loosen the screws and apply panel adhesive in-between the body and kit. Then simply screw the kit back down until it dries.